(Vulgata: “Miserere mei, Deus, miserere mei”) — “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me.”
(Attributed to David when he fled from Saul into the cave.)
Versus 1
Miserere mei, Deus, miserere mei,
quoniam in te confidit anima mea.
Et in umbra alarum tuarum sperabo, donec transeat iniquitas.
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for my soul trusts in you.
In the shadow of your wings I will hope, until iniquity has passed by.
Word Notes
- miserere – have mercy; imperat. of misereor, miserērī, miseritus sum (dep.)
- confidit – trusts, confides; pres. of confīdō, confīdere, confīsus sum
- anima, animae (f.) – soul, life
- umbra, umbrae (f.) – shadow
- ala, alae (f.) – wing
- sperabo – I will hope; fut. of sperō, sperāre, sperāvī, sperātum
- transeat – may pass by; subj. of trānseō, trānsīre, trānsiī, trānsitum
- iniquitas, iniquitatis (f.) – iniquity, wickedness
Versus 2
Clamabo ad Deum altissimum,
Deum, qui benefecit mihi.
I will cry to God Most High,
to God who has done good for me.
Word Notes
- clamabo – I will cry out; fut. of clāmō, clāmāre, clāmāvī, clāmātum
- altissimus, -a, -um – most high, exalted
- benefecit – has done good; perf. of bene faciō, bene facere, bene fēcī, bene factum
Versus 3
Misit de caelo, et liberavit me;
dedit in opprobrium conculcantes me.
Misit Deus misericordiam suam et veritatem suam.
He sent from heaven and delivered me;
he gave those who trample me to reproach.
God sent forth his mercy and his truth.
Word Notes
- misit – he sent; perf. of mittō, mittere, mīsī, missum
- liberavit – he freed, delivered; perf. of līberō, līberāre, līberāvī, līberātum
- opprobrium, opprobrii (n.) – reproach, disgrace
- conculcantes – those trampling; pres. part. of conculcō, conculcāre, conculcāvī, conculcātum
- misericordia, misericordiae (f.) – mercy, compassion
- veritas, veritatis (f.) – truth, faithfulness
Versus 4
Et eripuit animam meam de medio catulorum leonum:
dormivi conturbatus.
Filii hominum dentes eorum arma et sagittae, et lingua eorum gladius acutus.
And he has snatched my soul from the midst of young lions:
I lay down in trouble.
The sons of men — their teeth are weapons and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
Word Notes
- eripuit – has snatched away, rescued; perf. of ēripiō, ēripere, ēripuī, ēreptum
- catulus, catuli (m.) – whelp, young (of an animal)
- leo, leonis (m.) – lion
- dormivi – I have slept / lay down; perf. of dormiō, dormīre, dormīvī, dormītum
- conturbatus – troubled, disturbed; perf. part. of conturbō
- dens, dentis (m.) – tooth
- arma, armorum (n. pl.) – arms, weapons
- sagitta, sagittae (f.) – arrow
- lingua, linguae (f.) – tongue
- gladius, gladii (m.) – sword
- acutus, -a, -um – sharp
Versus 5
Exaltare super caelos, Deus,
et super omnem terram gloria tua.
Be exalted above the heavens, O God,
and over all the earth be your glory.
Word Notes
- exaltare – be exalted!; imperat. (2nd pers. sing.) of exaltō, exaltāre, exaltāvī, exaltātum
- caelum, caeli (n.) – heaven, sky
- gloria, gloriae (f.) – glory, honour
Versus 6
Laqueum paraverunt pedibus meis,
et incurvaverunt animam meam.
Foderunt ante faciem meam foveam, et inciderunt in eam.
They prepared a snare for my feet,
and they bowed down my soul.
They dug a pit before me, and they fell into it themselves.
Word Notes
- laqueus, laquei (m.) – snare, trap
- paraverunt – they have prepared; perf. of parō, parāre, parāvī, parātum
- pes, pedis (m.) – foot
- incurvaverunt – they have bowed down, made low; perf. of incurvō, incurvāre, incurvāvī, incurvātum
- foderunt – they dug; perf. of fodiō, fodere, fōdī, fossum
- fovea, foveae (f.) – pit, ditch
- inciderunt – they have fallen into; perf. of incidō, incidere, incidī, —
Versus 7
Paratum cor meum, Deus, paratum cor meum:
cantabo et psalmum dicam.
My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready:
I will sing and make melody.
Word Notes
- paratum – ready, prepared; neut. of parātus, -a, -um
- cor, cordis (n.) – heart
- cantabo – I will sing; fut. of cantō, cantāre, cantāvī, cantātum
- psalmum dicam – I will say a psalm / sing praise; idiom of dīcō + acc.
Versus 8
Exsurge, gloria mea; exsurge, psalterium et cithara:
exsurgam diluculo.
Arise, my glory; arise, psaltery and harp:
I will awake at dawn.
Word Notes
- exsurge – arise!; imperat. of exsurgō, exsurgere, exsurrēxī, exsurrēctum
- psalterium, psalterii (n.) – psaltery, stringed instrument
- cithara, citharae (f.) – harp, lyre
- diluculum, diluculi (n.) – daybreak, dawn
Versus 9
Confitebor tibi in populis, Domine,
et psalmum dicam tibi in gentibus.
I will praise you among the peoples, O Lord,
and I will sing to you among the nations.
Word Notes
- confitebor – I will confess / give thanks; fut. of confiteor, confitērī, confessus sum (dep.)
- populus, populi (m.) – people, nation
- gens, gentis (f.) – nation, people (non-Israelite)
Versus 10
Quoniam magnificata est usque ad caelos misericordia tua,
et usque ad nubes veritas tua.
For your mercy is exalted even to the heavens,
and your truth to the clouds.
Word Notes
- magnificata est – has been made great / exalted; perf. pass. of magnificō, magnificāre, magnificāvī, magnificātum
- usque ad – up to, even unto
- nubes, nubis (f.) – cloud
Versus 11
Exaltare super caelos, Deus,
et super omnem terram gloria tua.
Be exalted above the heavens, O God,
and over all the earth be your glory.
(Same refrain as verse 5 — a poetic symmetry marking the Psalm’s close.)
Word Notes
- exaltare – be exalted! (imperative)
- terra, terrae (f.) – earth, land
- gloria, gloriae (f.) – glory, splendour